Following the news that Microsoft has finally closed the Activision deal, Activision CEO Bobby Kotick has revealed that he will not be leaving the company until next year - as per Xbox boss Phil Spencer's request.
In a blog post published moments after the closure announcement was made, the publisher shared an email written by Kotick and addressed to all employees at Activision Blizzard King. The email mainly discusses the company's history, celebrates its milestones, and talks about the future it'll have now that it's under the Microsoft umbrella. Most interestingly, it confirms that the CEO will stay at Activision until the end of the year.
"I have long said that I am fully committed to helping with the transition," Kotick writes in the email. "Phil has asked me to stay on as CEO of ABK, reporting to him, and we have agreed that I will do that through the end of 2023. We both look forward to working together on a smooth integration for our teams and players." Prior to the deal's completion, it was thought that Kotick would only stick around until the merger was completed.
Today's news has been a long time coming for Microsoft. The company first announced it would be acquiring Activision back in January 2022 for $69 billion. Now, 20 months later, it finally has, but not after a lot of pushback from various regulators including the UK's Competition and Markets Authority. The CMA previously blocked the merger over fears that the deal would "damage competition" in the gaming industry, but has since cleared the acquisition following concessions like guarantees on streaming and Call of Duty access.
Phil Spencer has also extended an olive branch to PS5 and Switch users, assuring them that they are all "welcome here – and will remain welcome, even if Xbox isn’t where you play your favorite franchise."
Find out everything you need to know about the deal with our Xbox Activision deal explained guide.
